Here's a bit of hotel trivia for you: The term "presidential suite" came from the European tradition of "royal suites," but, as we don't have royals (no, the Kennedy's don't count), we termed the best room in the house the Presidential Suite.
In other words, it has nothing to do with whether a president has stayed there or not. Yet, while most hotels use the term as misnomer, not proof of political pedigree, the Presidential Suite at the Arizona Biltmore Resort & Spa can use the title quite literally. Every U.S. president since Herbert Hoover has stayed in the Suite while in office.
The other week we mentioned where the Giants were shacking up for the Super Bowl but we had no idea that it was at one of the "World's 100 Sexiest Hotels"? At least, according to rankings by the website Sexiest Hotels Inc.
So if you're the ultimate Giant fan and you're looking for a romantic getaway, then you should hit up The Sheraton Wild Horse Pass Resort & Spa, which is offering a sensuous special for V-Day.
First up, choose one of Aji Spa's treatments, such as the Honey Rose Body Wrap or the Aromatherapy Companion Massage. However, we would probably prefer The Chocolate Dipped Strawberry Pedicure, which includes a chocolate foot masque followed by a strawberry-body-butter massage -- all the while sampling your own chocolate-dipped strawberries and sipping a glass of champagne. Mmm...
Of course, once properly pampered, guests are encouraged to get a room. And not just any room.
The Wild Horse Pass "True Love and Truffles" room package includes an overnight stay for two, the Bed of Roses rose-petal turndown service (which sounds cheesy but chicks dig it), as well as a special room delivery of champagne and truffles. Make it a late-nighter and take advantage of the resort's 4 p.m. late checkout the following afternoon (based on availability). Rates at the 500-room AAA four-diamond start at $475 per night.
Many Super Bowl-goers have already forked out thousands for tickets and travel -- so what's a few grand more?
Ebay has several high-priced options for those with fat wallets. For example, one can have 4 nights at the "beautiful Embassy Suites Hotel in downtown Phoenix" for a mere $2499. Empassy Suites is only a few miles from downtown and about 10 miles from the stadium. And sold out. But hurry -- this deal expires in a little over 2 days.
Over at Craigslist, there's more pricey options galore. For about 15 grand, you can spend Super Bowl week in "Castle Mansion". This castle boasts 4 bedrooms, 6 bathrooms, a theatre room, pool with Jacuzzi spa and waterfall.
And finally...(drumroll)... Located in the newly constructed Summit at Copper Square high-rise in downtown Phoenix, this million-dollar luxury rental defies comparison. Of course, it has the price tag to prove it.
The best of the offerings seems to be the three-star Park Plaza Phoenix North. Featuring a lap pool & Jacuzzi, 24-hour fitness center, a café, complimentary wireless Internet, and free shuttle service within a five mile radius. The big drawback here is the location -- far North Phoenix.
All-in-all this seems like a better option than sleeping in the stadium parking lot (which we don't advocate, by-the-way). But here's another hiccup: When we tried to make reservation a moment ago, no check in was allowed on Friday Jan. 1st, which means you'd need to come in a day early. Rates were however significantly lower then, at only $123/night.
Red Roof Inn Phoenix Westis much closer to the action (seven miles from US Airways Center and Chase Field, with easy access to Interstate 10), but may require a little more faith on your part to stay there.
Amenities include heated outdoor pool and free coffee and newspapers in the lobby. There is no restaurant onsite and Internet access is extra. TripAdvisor members seem to agree, the hotel is a clean, basic place to lay your head -- and that's about it. $300/night average rate.
Know of a Super Bowl Hotel with vacancies? Let us know!
Attention NFL stalkers: The New York Giants have rented out an entire hotel in Arizona for the upcoming Super Bowl weekend. Eli Manning, Michael Strahan and crew will be shacking up at the rustic Sheraton Wild Horse Pass Hotel
Interestingly enough, this had nothing to do with the Giants preference for the hotel.
Three years ago the Sheraton, which markets itself as in Chandler but is on the Gila River Indian Reservation, signed contracts through the Super Bowl Host Committee and the NFL.
"We had the NFC team regardless of who it was," said hotel spokeswoman Kristen Jarnagin.
All 500 rooms and 26 suites will be totally booked. The resort's AAA Five Diamond Restaurant, Kai, will be closed to the public and to the public during the stay so it can be used exclusively for the team and its guests.
And the hotel's spa is going so far as to create special treatments for the players including the Go-Deep deep tissue massage and a Manning manicure in which nails are painted Giants' colors. Let's hope only the WAGs get these and not Manning himself.
It looks like the dilemma facing any Super Bowl attendee or party-goer who hasn't yet secured hotel reservations is this: Either fork over several hundred dollars for a room worth about one-forth of that, or pay a reasonable (although still inflated) rate and put up with noisy air conditioners and vagrants in the lobby.
For example, a quick check of availability shows places like Marriott, Sheraton, Hyatt & Hilton are all full. A few mid-tier properties such as the La Quinta are available, but at mind-blowing $424 to $652 nightly rates!
On the other hand, you can still get a room at the bottom-basement bargain of $119 per night at Motel 6 Phoenix West. But (Big But), you might want to consider what a few TripAdvisor members had to say about the place first:
"Where's the soap? Nothing to wash your hands with, no shampoo, no lotion, no tissues, no shower cap, no alarm clock...nothing.
Horribly loud air conditioner. Scary people are hanging out in the parking lot. Was surprised to find no damage to our vehicle in the morning.
"Besides being in what seemed to be in a bad location, the staff was rude, the hotel room smelled of something rotting, and the sheets and floor were stained."
"This is a dungeon. Nothing works properly and towels are thread bear. They should just close the damned thing!"
So, there you have it. Either take out a second mortgage or get used to dirty sheets and no soap. Choices, choices....
1.21.08 Update Reports are coming in that there are plenty of hotel rooms left in and around Phoenix for the Super Bowl. See comments below.
Know somewhere with open hotel rooms for Super Bowl weekend in Phoenix? Tip us off.
We got a "tip" this week about a site for booking Super Bowl XLII accommodations: SuperBowlMotels.com. Looks like they do have some good deals, although they need to be updated.
The site lists both Travelodge and Comfort Inn hotels as having availability, yet the corporate websites for these properties say they're booked. Now perhaps SuperBowlMotels.com has some rooms set aside in their name. If you're still looking for reservations, you might take a chance and give them a call.
Similarly, Superbowl-room.com has rooms, some as low as $200/night. Although here, you have to be channeling Vegas, because you won't know exactly what hotel/motel/cardboard box you will be staying in until after you book.
If you don't mind the extended stay-style properties, then there are a few options we'd recommend. Homestead Studio Suites, Extended Stay America, Crossland Economy Studios and Homewood Suites all still have availability Super Bowl weekend at locations in and around Glendale/West Phoenix. All have similar amenities of a larger room with full kitchen, while some offer free parking, free Internet access and free continental breakfast. Crossland is on the low end of the price scale, going for a mere $220/night Super Bowl weekend.
If you are lucky enough to have scored tickets to Super Bowl XLII, now's the time to secure a place to lay your head before and after the game.
With just over a month remaining, hotels in the Phoenix area are filling up fast up. For example, favorites such as the Biltmore, The Phoenician, and the Ritz-Carlton are already sold out. It may seem the odds are stacked against you for finding a hotel when you consider there are only only 9,000 hotel rooms within a 15-mile radius of the stadium and over 175,000 people expected to attend.
The good news is, rooms can still be found, but the situation changes even as we write. Many places are requiring a four-night minimum stay, and most (did you expect anything less?) have raised their rates for The Big Game -- sometimes considerably.
Still, there are a few deals to be had.
For example, the SpringHill Suites Phoenix-Glendale offers new, non-smoking suites and simple but appreciated amenities such as free onsite parking, free high-speed Internet access, and complimentary breakfast buffet. Best of all, it is one of the only hotels located actually in Glendale proper. Rooms also include a mini-fridge, microwave, and coffee maker. Rates are a reasonable $219 and $229 per night. Keep checking back to see what other deals we track down before kickoff.
Know somewhere with open hotel rooms for Super Bowl weekend in Phoenix? 
